Mineralogy

This book on minerals has been assembled by a geologist who has taught elementary mineralogy for several decades. The presentation of mineralogical information in this book builds from atomistic components, thorough geochemical principles, to the formation of crystal structures and crystallization processes in Part 1. This is followed by classical morphological characterization of crystals and then to the physical properties of minerals in Part II. Crystallographic classification of minerals is presented in Part III with emphasis on geologist-friendly visualization. This is succeeded by chapters on the roles that minerals play in rock-forming process in Part IV, that in this book is expanded beyond the abbreviated treatment characteristic of most other mineralogy textbooks. Part V is an updated review of instrumental techniques that are used in the study of mineralogical materials, including separate chapters on X-ray diffraction and "cook-book" optical mineralogy. The final two chapters, in Part VI, present the systematics of mineral classification in accord with the modified Dana classification, and an alphabetical description of minerals.The strengths of this book is the upgraded classicial mineralogy, the inclusion of geochemical and geological aspects of mineralogy, and appropriate level of optical mineralogy and an exceptionally through section on analytical instrumentation and techniques.